Dangerous to Know
by deadmansbloodandvervain
Summary: After 5 years of marriage and duty to the Mystic Falls council, Elena finds her life isn't quite what she expected. Stephan's long lost brother decides to return to Mystic Falls for some unknown reason. What will change? What dangers lurk around corners? Maybe the choice between right and wrong isn't always that simple.


**A/N: **I'm new, be nice. Just kidding. I am new at this though. Hope you enjoy. Let me know if I should keep going or not!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own TVD. I feel no remorse in toying with it though.

* * *

**5 years ago**

Diary in her lap and feet on the dashboard Elena is riding shotgun on the way to her to the Salvatore boarding house. Grabbing the diary and putting it back into her purse she folds her long legs under her and turns to Stephan.

"I'm so glad we took that vacation. I really needed some time away."

Stephan turns his head to face her for a moment, reaching over with his free hand to hold hers. He gives her his closed lip smile, letting her know how happy he is to be with her.

"Well, that is _exactly_ why I suggested this trip. You deserve a break every now and then. Plus, I wanted this weekend away to be all about you, Elena."

Her smile brightens and she leans over to lay a quick peck on his cheek. Looking at their hands entwined together, she admired the brand new silver diamond ring on her left ring finger.

"Thanks you for being such a great boyfriend Stephan, or should I say fiancé."

Their laughter fills the car.

"You just couldn't wait to find a way to say that could you." Stephan laughs out, the smile never leaving his face.

"No, I really couldn't. Why do we have to go back to the real world? I'm going to miss our happy little private bubble."

"Well if we didn't both have to get back to college, which I should mention we both already missed nearly a week, then I would whisk you away to wherever you'd like."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Just enjoying being around each other. Relishing in the last little bit of their vacation.

Stephan's phone buzzes in the cup holder. Elena picks it up to read the text message flashing on the screen. It's from Damon, Stephan's long lost brother. Well not really long lost, just the man whom she'd never met. He'd left Mystic Falls years ago and hadn't returned. You would figure after dating for four years that she would have met Stephan's brother, somehow.

"It's from Damon. You want me to read it to you?"

"Sure. I told him that I proposed to you last night, but he never responded. Just figured I'd let him know."

"Well, he says 'I was going to inform you that I'm coming back to visit the boarding house. I guess I will finally get to meet Elena for myself. I will be there in three days.'"

"This is certainly unexpected. Sorry for the short notice. Damon is like that. He's pretty unpredictable."

Elena hasn't met Damon yet. She's just heard about him. The brothers talk on the phone a couple times a month and there are some old pictures of the boys around the old boarding house. Damon's room is perfectly intact, as if one day he may just come through the door, as if he never left. Maybe that's what was happening now.

She is glad she's going to finally get to meet a family member of Stephan's. He said that his Uncle Zach had taken care of the boys for a while but he died in some kind of accident a few years back. Not too long after that, when Damon turned 20, he had taken off.

Elena studies Stephan as he drives. She has always been comfortable around him. They met after her parents died; she was just a junior in high school. The boys had been homeschooled, but after Zach died, Stephan decided to give public school a try. He and Elena became fast friends. He was her main source of comfort. After her parents died she was lost and confused, her brother and aunt were the only family she had left. She always felt the need to act strong in front of them. Then Stephan came into her life. He understood loosing family and he was just what she needed. They have been inseparable since.

Loving Stephan is easy, always has been. He's kind, sensitive, strong, dependable, handsome and trustworthy. It didn't take long for the two of them to start dating and decide they should never be apart. Elena isn't sure if she's the head-over-heels in love you always hear about in movies, but she figures that is fictitious anyways, what she does know is that she truly loves Stephan, and nothing will ever change that.

They arrive back at the house and make their way inside. Stephan lags behind a little because he insisted on carrying their luggage in himself. Unlocking and opening the front door, Elena giggles and urges Stephan to hurry up.

"Come on! I'll give you five more seconds, then the door is closing."

He chuckles, picking up speed and makes it through the door in three seconds. The moment he crosses the threshold, he sets down the luggage and turns to his fiancé.

"Let's go upstairs, worry about the suitcases later."

He smiles just a bit and she follows him upstairs and into his room.

* * *

**3 years ago**

When Elena's parents died, she inherited a kingdom, well more like a legacy. Her family was one of the founding families of Mystic Falls, so was Stephan's. This basically makes them a royal couple. The 'founding families' were the first ones to come to Mystic Falls, and they happened to all be extremely wealthy.

Elena gained ownership of all of her family's properties, which included their giant house in Mystic Falls and the two summer homes. When she married Stephan, they decided to live in his house, more like a mansion. Elena signed over her house lease to her aunt Jenna, and her husband Alaric. The summerhouses were signed over to Jeremy. Elena was more than content with the Salvatore boarding house and their three summer homes. In all honestly she would have been happier without any of this.

When Elena inherited everything, she didn't understand what came along with being part of this inner circle. After she and Stephan graduated college, she was expected to step up to the plate.

In the beginning, it had seemed like it was all a fairy tale. She had more money than she could ever use, a handsome husband, a purpose in life, and love. She still finds time to write a little bit everyday, but she doesn't really get to live life the way she would like to. Stephan works all the time and she has to spend every day leading her charities, setting up founder events, and keeping up the family name.

Some days it feels like the world was moving all around her in super speed, and she is hardly moving. She doesn't really feel like the things she's doing have any real meaning. The founding family, the council, all of this is fake. It's just a way for all these rich families to get together and show off their money. A bunch of women who have nothing to do with their lives, besides throw parties, and ignore how miserable they truly are. When did her life become this?

* * *

**Present Day**

Stephan comes home in a bit of a rush; something has him in a fret. When he comes in, Elena is in her writing cove, typing a story out on her computer. Crossing the house swiftly, he comes over and places a quick kiss on her lips.

"Spit it out. You're never home this early. What's going on?" Elena looks up from her laptop, small smile playing on her lips.

Sighing, Stephan says, "Damon is coming back to the boarding house, to live here. I don't know why, and I don't know for how long, but he'll be here tomorrow."

Dark eyes widening, Elena sets the monitor aside. "Well, this is, last minute."

"I know. Like I said five years ago, he's unpredictable. I have no idea why he's moving back."

Elena's heartbeat sped up, a bit of panic and excitement seeping into her bones. Why is Damon coming back?


End file.
